SB367 - Relating to the implementation by public schools of certain communicable disease public health orders issued by a health authority.

  89R4371 CMO-D     By: Eckhardt S.B. No. 367       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to the implementation by public schools of certain   communicable disease public health orders issued by a health   authority.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Subchapter A, Chapter 38, Education Code, is   amended by adding Section 38.0022 to read as follows:           Sec.   38.0022.     REQUIRED IMPLEMENTATION OF CERTAIN   COMMUNICABLE DISEASE PUBLIC HEALTH ORDERS.   (a) In this section,   "communicable disease"   and "health authority" have the meanings   assigned by Section 81.003, Health and Safety Code.           (b)     Notwithstanding any other law and subject to Subsection   (c), a school district shall implement or otherwise comply with   health directives outlined in a public health order issued by a   health authority with jurisdiction over territory in which the   district is wholly or partly located regarding evidence-based   practices to reduce or eliminate the transmission of or infection   with a communicable disease among district students and staff,   including directives requiring the students and staff to wear face   masks or face coverings.           (c)     If two or more health authorities with jurisdiction over   territory in which a school district is wholly or partly located   issue public health orders with conflicting health directives, the   board of trustees of the district may select which health   authority's public health order the district will implement or   otherwise comply with.          SECTION 2.  Section 38.0022, Education Code, as added by   this Act, applies only to a public health order issued by a health   authority on or after the effective date of this Act.          SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.